The instant invention relates to paper folding apparatus, and more particularly to apparatus used for imparting perpendicular (cross) folds to paper sheets.
It is well known to fold paper sheets using buckle chute folders to impart one or more folds. In some operations it is desirable to impart two folds perpendicular to each other. Such operations typically employ similar folders oriented perpendicular to each other and change the direction of travel of the document being folded so that after it is folded in one direction, its path of travel is changed to become perpendicular to the original path of travel whereupon the folded document enters a second folder and is folded along a line perpendicular to the original fold line. Such a combination of folding is referred to in the art as cross-folding.
In a cross-folding machine, a single sheet of paper is folded once (partially, or in half) by a folder and the once-folded sheet of paper is then deposited onto the deck of a transport module in order to be moved in a direction perpendicular to the original paper path. The sheet of paper is then folded again (in half, in a Z, or standard fold) by a second folder.
Typically, the paper sheets are fed from a feeder deck with the address face down toward a first buckle chute folder, and the address is positioned near the lead edge of the sheet. After it is folded once, the paper sheet emerges from the first buckle chute folder on the transport deck with the address now face up. Occasionally it happens that the documents include an address that is situated near the trailing edge of the sheet. In such a case, if the paper sheets are fed with the address face down toward a first buckle chute folder, the sheet will emerge from the first buckle chute folder onto the transport deck with the address face down. Since the address needs to be face up for further processing, such an arrangement is unacceptable. Heretofore, the solution to this problem has been to move the feeder deck and the first buckle chute folding module from one side of the transport deck to the other, in order that the paper sheet is deposited on the transport deck with its address facing up. Such moving of the feeder deck and the folding apparatus is undesirable for obvious reasons.
Thus, the instant invention overcomes the problems associated with cross-folding documents having addresses at both the leading and trailing edges of the paper sheet by using an inverting chute in combination with the first buckle chute folder. The use of an inverter obviates the need to move the feeding and folding apparatus from one side of the transport deck to the other.